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The “Core Workout” True for Sales Training Too

Posted on : February 29, 2016

I got a Fitbit for Christmas and now I am tracking steps, flights of stairs climbed, and water intake, all in an effort to try to beat my fellow co-workers and family with simple fitness habits. This led me to talk with a personal trainer and they were glad to talk with me. As we were talking, my personal trainer mentioned that it is important for anyone starting an exercise program to first strengthen “The Core.” I learned “The Core” was a set of muscles that adds stability to the bodily region bounded by the abdominal wall, the pelvis, the lower back and diaphragm and that all movement starts within this region of the body. I needed to strengthen my core before I would get into more physical activities like running, swimming, and biking.

So, what does “the Core” have to do with Sales Training? EVERYTHING! I talk with many sales executives, Vice Presidents of Sales, Presidents and CEOs and they all want to have the best sales teams in their industry. Many of these people come to me just like I went to my personal trainer. They have not done any sales training recently and they come to us a bit out of shape. They want to get the edge on the competition and they want to win the game, come in first and generate more sales. In most cases, they have an experienced sales team who inspire to be the “Trusted Advisors or Business Partners” with their customers. They are looking for advanced selling skills, something new that will quickly help them win more sales, increase revenues and make more profits.

I tell them the same thing my personal trainer told me. You must first strengthen “The Core.” The first step in any sales training program is to have one common methodology or one sales language with your company. Programs like the Counselor Salesperson, Consultative Selling, Spin Selling and other similar programs are great examples. Sales people, managers, coaches and executives all need to speak the same language to strengthen “the core.” This allows the organization to track simple things such as organizing good pre-call plans, securing appointments for face to face meetings, knowing the best questions to ask, being a better listener, and sharing the right solutions. This is very similar to me tracking my steps and watching my calorie intake each day. Creating these new sales habits are essential. Just like a great athlete works on their fundamentals, a sales team must work on these skills daily. Having a common sales system allows for your managers to coach and your sales people to build a stronger “sales core” before using more advanced methods to win the marathon.

So, if you are like me with exercise and looking for a kick-start in sales training, give us a call. Let us help you and your organization develop “the core” selling skills. This will help you build a competitive advantage for your organization and win more and lose less!